Proposal to use Denmark’s Wind Power Creating Hydrogen for Ships

Orsted and the Greater Copenhagen Utility (HOFOR) are planning a green power project that would create synergies between the companies' plans for offshore power and onshore green power infrastructure to support the Green Fuels for Denmark project, including potentially generated hydrogen for the shipping industry.

"The European ambitions for renewable hydrogen and sustainable fuels have increased dramatically over the past year, mainly outside of Denmark, but as a country, we can still play a significant role in this part of the global green transformation,” said Anders Nordstrøm, Head of Orsted's hydrogen activities. “Green Fuels for Denmark is a large-scale flagship project ideally suited to realizing Denmark's great potential as a producer of sustainable fuels for heavy transport. The agreement with HOFOR underlines the partnership's firm belief that Green Fuels for Denmark can contribute significantly to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and create a new industrial stronghold for Denmark."

Green Fuels for Denmark is the country’s ambitious vision for the large-scale production of sustainable fuels. The plan calls for three phases with approximately 10 MW, 250 MW, and 1,300 MW in total electrolysis capacity, and the potential to carbon emissions by up 850,000 tons annually. Among the leaders in the shipping industry involved in the Green Fuels for Denmark initiative are A.P. Moller - Maersk, DSV Panalpina, and DFDS, along with SAS, Copenhagen Airports, and Orsted. 

As part of the agreement, Orsted and HOFOR will work towards enabling Orsted to use power produced at HOFOR’s 250 MW offshore wind farm project in the Oresund Strait while HOFOR may place the offshore wind farm's substation at the premises of Avedore Power Station operated by Orsted. By linking the wind farm and the PtX plant, Orsted and HOFOR will seek to realize both technical and trading-related synergies subject to regulatory approvals.

The power from the Aflandshage wind field could enable parts of Green Fuels for Denmark's second phase of 250 MW and meet the power demand for the project's first phase, the companies noted. In addition, it could potentially power the proposed electrolysis plant that will supply hydrogen to DFDS's proposed hydrogen-powered ferry between Copenhagen and Oslo.

The wind field is currently being developed, and subject to regulatory approvals, HOFOR expects the project to deliver first power in 2024/2025.